Photons


In space and astronautical engineering, photons are elementary particles that make up electromagnetic radiation, including visible light, radio waves, gamma rays, and X-rays. They have no mass, no electric charge, and travel at the speed of light. Photons play a crucial role in space communication, as they are used to transmit information between spacecraft and ground stations. They are also used in remote sensing, where they are emitted by a source and then detected by a sensor to gather information about the environment. In addition, photons are used in propulsion systems, such as solar sails, which use the momentum of photons to generate thrust.


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